Sleepless Ram
The Sleepless Ram was a creature in Mampang Fortress said to be the deadliest servant of the Archmage. - 296 Origins and Distribution The Sleepless Ram appears to have been a unique creature, but is one of many made out of solid rock, in this case marble, suggesting that the Sleepless Ram is a Golem. - 580 Due to its construction, the creature was also known as the Marbled Ram. - 207 The creature stood guard in the room leading to the final Throben Doors of the Fortress before entering the study at the top of the building. - 207, 224, 321, 580 A clue to its age came from Shinva, Fifth Noble of Kharé, who recited a rhyming couplet about the creature and the sorceress known as the Sham that dates back to the 'ancient days' - 209 This implies that the Sleepless Ram and the Sham are much older than Shinva. Since the Sleepless Ram was never destroyed by the Analander, it is possible that it still exists after the destruction of the Archmage. Description The Sleepless Ram when inactive looked like a large marble sculpture on a raised pedestal resembling a shaggy dog or sheep. - 580 It remained unchanged when active, but its legs could move 'abnormally' fast and could leave it's pedestal in less than a second despite its mass. - 504 However, it will not attack the Archmage's guards should they be waiting in its room for someone to leave the study, implying it has friend/foe recognition. - 486 Special Abilities As fitting its reputation, the Sleepless Ram was near-impossible to defend against and could defeat even the toughest opponents. Its main attack was to charge at full speed against an opponent with sufficient force to kill an armoured Troll. - 329 It is also capable of resisting the SAP and ROK spells, meaning that attempts to demoralise or petrify it by turning it to stone (which it already is) will simply not work. - 659, 771 It can even escape from the otherwise deadly pool of quicksand created by the MUD spell, but this will slow it down. - 681 Unless an opponent has some kind of reliable counter to the Sleepless Ram, the only escape is to run towards the Throben Doors. - 25, 207, 224, 362, 512 Despite of all of this, the Sleepless Ram can be disabled by a vial of liquid kept by Dintainta, the Sham, yet even then the creature will soon recover and will be just as deadly as before. - 241 Dealing with Sleepless Ram The process of countering the Sleepless Ram starts in Kharé when the player receives Shinva's clue. - 209 In the Baklands, the player may meet Dintainta and receive the vial. - 22, 290 As implied, the Sleepless Ram is a very difficult opponent for the player when they encounter it. As stated, only the MUD spell has any effect on it, but this will allow the player to escape the creature's initial charge, which otherwise cost the player 2 STAMINA points. - 255, 329, 681 Regardless, the player will then be able to choose an item to counter the creature. - 152 A Yellowfruit Skin and a Parchment Scroll will offer no aid, while an Enchanted Compass will give a reading towards the Throben Doors but is also useless, so all 3 will result in death. - 21, 71, 252, 296 A Glass Vial of Liquid will only work if given to the player by a woman (i.e. Dintainta), not by a man or if found, again with any error resulting in death. - 92, 241, 278, 296, 491 If the player has Dintainta's vial, they will be able to disable the creature and reach the Throben Doors without harm, but without the key they will die once the creature recovers. - 196, 207, 224, 296, 415 Without the vial, the player will have to run and Test their Luck 3 times, with any unlucky roll resulting in death. Even if Lucky, the player will lose 8 stamina points, representing a strained ankle and being knocked towards the Throben Doors. - 25, 296, 363, 512 Again, the player must have the key or they will die. Should the player attempt to leave the study behind the Throben Doors, they will not face the Sleepless Ram again but rather guards. It is notable that the text never mentions the creature or the Analander's thoughts on going through its room again. - 486 References